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Race Morning Breakfast

OrA large bowl of porridge 2- 2:30 hours before with honey (1 cup of dried porridge and 2 cups of milk) , then 90 minutes to one hour before a banana.OrIf porridge is not possible then rice pudding from a tin Ambrosia cream rice full fat type would be 378 calories (don’t forget the tin opener)Try and aim for 600 plus calories more (up to 800) if you normally have a good breakfast each morning.Toast jams or honey can also be eaten instead and are easy to digest.Try and avoid fruit, as this can be acidic on a nervous stomach.Have 750 ml of carbohydrate sports drink available to sip in the final 2 hours.Best to have your sports drink at room temperature as cold and hot drinks can take longer to absorb.You will be surprised that many athletes over dress race morning rush around and are already starting to dehydrate!

IDEAL RACE BREAKFASTYou should normally have this breakfast and tried it in training before your big day2:30 -3 hours before your competition80 grams of Porridge (292 calories) 2 Cups of Milk (225 calories) Total 517 calories.With one or all of the following, but try this many times before your competition.Honey (one teaspoon 22 calories), seedless grapes (114 calories), dried fruit 28 grams (70 calories)Pure fruit Juice with water (8oz serving depending on brand can be between 100-170 calories) Mix 50/50 fruit juice water.

Optional extra -Toast and honey or jam(Wholemeal if available) if hungry.

ORCarbohydrates from bread or pasta. You need some fat but AVOID too much. No more than 2 slices of bacon or 2 slices of sliced meats.One thin slice of cheese is OK.

ORTwo slices of toast and butter = 325 caloriesTwo slices of toast and low fat margarine = 220 caloriesOR in an emergency or if you need to add to your total calorie intake.Peanut butter and jam sandwich. (Good fats from peanut butter jam for quick release sugar, carbohydrate from bread)

ORBanana (100-110 calories)

OR4 Jaffa cakes (170 calories) Light easy to eat and will make you drink a little more fluid when it is hot.

ORSports bar with 150 calories.

LAST MINUTE FOOD FIXNeed something not long before the start that you can eat that will not ruin tour race then consider a sports gel (90-100 calories)Rice cakes (10 grams) = approx 40 calories each.50 grams of Flap jack = approx 300 calories.Contains Carbohydrates fats and sugar need for the race.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE CALORIES MAY VARY WITH EACH BRAND AND EVEN THE SAME BRAND MAY VARY FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.ALWAYS READ THE LABEL.

Mark has crossed the finsih line in over 1,000 races in 17 countries, for coaching & training tips log onto www.ironmantips.com